JP2006294019A - Generic software requirement analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly install and operate application software on a computer. <P>SOLUTION: A method concerning the present invention is the method for communicating a set of requirements for an application program generated by a producer of the application program to a potential user of the application program, includes a step that the producer of the application program generates a computer file for specifying a set of requirements of the application program and transfers copy of the computer file to the potential user, the potential user reads the computer file and executes a computer program for analyzing performance of a computer system about a set of requirements of the application program. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates generally to the field of computer software.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a computerized method for analyzing a computer system for a set of application program requirements.

In order to properly install and operate application software on a computer, the computer must meet a set of requirements that may be specific to the application program.
Such requirements may be confirmed manually at any time, or may be confirmed by the installation process when installing the software on the computer.

Manual processes are time consuming and error prone.
This is typically done before installing application software or when software operation fails.
Manual processes may require running several programs and comparing their output with documented requirements.
This creates a problem in two parts.
First, the user performing the manual check must understand the meaning of the output, and second, the document may be modified in a timely manner and may not reflect the latest requirements.

Certain application installation software may inspect critical requirements such as disk space, memory capacity, and previous versions of the software.
However, the installed software usually does not rarely perform an inspection of the entire environment to determine that the software operates properly.
This is due to the amount of programming required and the execution time added to the installation program.
Every time you develop application software to be published, you must write new code that evaluates the environment.

This problem is even greater in computer networks.
For example, an application implemented on a corporate network may span many computers.
Currently, each affected computer in the network must be manually checked to see if it meets the requirements of the new application software.
This consumes a lot of time and resources each time a new application is implemented.

One approach to this problem is to use an asset management system that manages the computers in the network.
However, this information is often incorrect and incomplete.
In addition, asset management system information must be manually verified against published requirements.

Another approach is to use application specific software that evaluates the readiness of the computer system before installing specific software.
This approach has been used before installing a specific operating system.

  The present invention was made from the above background, and the computer usable medium according to the present invention comprises computer readable code for analyzing the computer system (314) for a set of requirements of the application program (308). An embedded computer-usable medium, wherein the computer-readable code includes a first set of programming instructions (318) for reading a computer file (306) that includes the list of requirements for the application program (308), and the computer A second set of programming instructions (320) that determines the performance of the system (314) and a third set of programming instructions (322) that compare the performance of the computer system (318) and the requirements of the application program (308). ) , And a fourth set of programming instructions to report the result of the comparison (324).

  While the invention is capable of many different embodiments, one or more specific embodiments are shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, this disclosure is considered illustrative of the principles of the invention, It should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described.

  In the following description, like reference numerals are used to denote the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings.

The present invention relates to a computerized method and associated software for analyzing a computer system for a set of requirements for an application program.
In one embodiment, a list of application program requirements is stored in a computer file.
Next, the computer is operated to determine the performance of the computer system, and the performance of the computer system is compared with the requirements of the application program.
The comparison result is then reported.
A computer file containing a list of application program requirements may be generated by the creator of the application program.
Publishers can generate computer files using software tools that include a user interface.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart 100 illustrating a method consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, following start block 102, at block 104, application software is generated by a software creator (hereinafter also referred to as a software publisher).
Application software may be designed to operate in a variety of computing environments that utilize a variety of hardware and software resources.
Application software has a set of requirements related to the minimum resources required for an application to perform its functions.
Such requirements are typically set by the software designer or creator, but may be set at any time.
For example, the requirements may be generated or modified after the application software is inspected or as a result of user feedback.
At block 106, a computer file listing application software requirements is generated.
This computer file is referred to as a “requirement file” and contains information that can be retrieved, passed, made available, or communicated to a user or potential user of the application software.
The requirement file may be in an extensible markup language (XML) format, for example.

At block 108, the requirement file is distributed to the user.
The user may obtain the requirement file before obtaining the application software.
This allows the user to determine whether the application software runs on his computer system before purchasing the application software.
This is beneficial to publishers in that it reduces the number of software returns.
This is also beneficial to the user because the user can avoid the inconvenience of returning software that does not run properly on the user's computer and having the amount refunded.
Alternatively, the application software may be distributed at the same time as the requirements file.
The process ends at end block 110.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart 200 illustrating a method consistent with certain embodiments of the invention.
This method allows a user to determine whether his computer system can execute specific application software.
Following the start block 202 of FIG. 2, the user executes a computer program that enables the user to select an application at block 204.
For example, a computer program may search a directory on a user's computer system to find a valid requirements file, access the file to read the corresponding application description, and then display a menu for selection to the user. it can.
At block 206, the requirement file for the selected application is read.
At block 208, the performance of the computer system is revealed.
This may be a general performance or a performance specifically related to the requirements listed in the requirements file.

At block 210, the performance is analyzed by comparing the revealed performance with the requirements listed in the requirements file.
At block 212, a report showing the results of the analysis is generated.
This report allows the user to determine whether the selected application operates normally on his computer system.
The process ends at end block 214.

Process 200 may be performed before or after application installation by a user.
It may also be executed at programmed intervals after the application is installed.
As a result, it is possible to monitor the computer system to clarify whether the necessary resources cannot be used.

  Software updates to installed applications can be distributed through updated requirement files.

  For example, the requirements file can be updated whenever the first requirement is found to be wrong.

  Reports may be copied to publishers to provide technical support for published application software.

In one embodiment, process 200 is performed by a single computer program.
In still other embodiments, processes 208 and 210 are performed by separate computer programs that can be executed on various computers.

FIG. 3 is a diagram representing a computer system consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 3, software publisher 302 uses requirement file creation tool 304 to generate requirement file 306 associated with application software 308.
The requirement file creation tool 304 may include a user interface that requests input of requirements by attributes.
Attributes include kernel parameters, presence of specific files, installed software version number, register heap size, etc.
Next, the requirement file creation tool 304 writes a requirement file 306 including requirement information.

The requirement file 306 and related application software 308 may be packaged together as a public software bundle 310 for distribution or may be distributed separately.
A copy of the requirement 306 ′ is distributed (as indicated by arrow 312) to the target computer 314 of one or more users.
The application software copy 308 ′ may be distributed to the user at the same time as the published software bundle copy 310 ′ or may be distributed later.

A user can determine whether his computer system can execute application software by using the general software analysis tool 316.
Each tool includes a set of programming instructions.
The general software analysis tool 316 includes a file reading and interpretation tool 318 for reading and interpreting requirement files, and a performance discovery tool 320 that reveals resources and performance available on the user's computer system.
The general software analysis tool 316 also includes a performance / requirement analysis tool 322 that is used to compare the revealed performance of the user's computer system with the application software requirements listed in the requirements file 306 ′.
The general software analysis tool 316 also includes a report creation tool 324 that is used to generate a report 326 to the user.
The report 326 includes the analysis results and allows the user to determine whether the software application 308 'is operating normally on the user's computer system.
The general-purpose software analysis tool 316 may be executed before or after installation of the application software 308 ′.

  It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that published software bundle 310 may be distributed to multiple users.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that a general software analysis tool 316 can be used to analyze multiple application software.
Thus, publishers are freed from the task of creating system performance analysis software for each new application.

FIG. 4 is a diagram representing a network attached computer system consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a networked computer system 314, such as an enterprise network, having a central site or control node 400 operated by a user and several management nodes 402 and 402 ′.
An application implemented on a network may straddle a control node and several management nodes.
A user can determine whether the networked computer system 314 can execute application software by using the general software analysis tool 316.
The general-purpose software analysis tool 316 includes a file read / interpret tool 318 for reading and interpreting the requirement file.
Tool 316 also includes a performance discovery tool 320 that reveals the resources and performance available on the networked computer system.
A small program (404, 404 ') is sent to each of the management nodes being examined to reveal the performance of other management nodes (eg, 402' and 402) in the network.
This program serves to collect related information (such as inventory data and configuration data) of the receiving management node.
After collecting the information, the program returns a report of the information (406, 406 ′) to the control node 400.
The report can be sent after collecting data or upon request from the control node.
The control node 400 maintains a list of systems suitable for inspection.
The control node 400 can also maintain a list of whether there is a current data set for each system.
For systems that require a data set, a network transaction is initiated by the control point to collect the data set.
This information may be stored in the local repository 408.
A special report (ad hoc report) summarizing inventory data and configuration data collected at the enterprise level can be generated at any time.
After collection, the performance / requirements analysis tool 322 can analyze the data with respect to, for example, essential software, patches, hardware and configurations.

The general software analysis tool 316 also includes a report creation tool 324 that is used to generate a report 326 for the user.
The report 326 includes any anomalies that allow the user to determine whether the software application 308 'is operating properly on the user's computer system and to determine the time and resources required to prepare the application. There is a case.

The analysis tool uses information from the requirements file 306 ′ to identify systems in the network that do not meet the requirements.
In one embodiment, the required software, hardware and configuration details include a list of attribute tags and associated values.
Files may be written according to industry standard protocols such as General Purpose Markup Language (SGML) managed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) protocol managed by the WWW Consortium. Good.

  An example of the XML requirement file is shown below.

<? xml version = "1.0" encoding = "UTF-8"?>
<prerequisites schema-version = "1.0">
<application>
<id> NNM </ id>
<name> Network Node Manager </ name>
<version> 8.0 </ version>
<version>8.5></version>
</ application>
<systems>
<system os = "HP-UX" os-version = "11.0">
<hardware model = "9000">
<series> 700 </ series>
<series> 800 </ series>
<memory scale = "MB"> 512 </ memory>
<disk-space scale = "GB"> 1 </ disk-space>
<virtual-memory scale = "MB"> 768 </ virtual-memory>
</ hardware>
<software>
<kernel-parameters>
<max-thread-proc> 1024 </ max-thread-proc>
<nfile> 8192 </ nfile>
<maxdsiz> 1073741824 </ maxdsiz>
<maxfiles> 2048 </ maxfiles>
<maxusers> 256 </ maxusers>
</ kernel-parameters>
<libraries>
<library> libnm.sl </ library>
</ libraries>
<patches>
<patch id = "PHNE_25226"/>
<patch id = "PHKL_26059"/>
<patch id = "PHCO_25902"/>
</ patches>
</ software>
<conflicts>
<component>
<id> OVO </ id>
<name> Operations for Unix </ name>
<version> 8.0 </ version>
</ component>
</ conflicts>
</ system>
<system os = "Windows 2000" os-version = "Professional">
<hardware model = "PII">
<speed scale = "MHz"> 333 </ speed>
<memory scale = "MB"> 512 </ memory>
<disk-space sale = "GB"> 1 </ disk-space>
<virtual-memoryscale = "MB"> 512 </ virtual-memory>
</ hardware>
<software>
<component>
<name> IIS </ name>
<version> 4.0 </ version>
</ component>
<libraries>
<library> devenum.dll </ library>
</ libraries>
<patches>
<patch> SP4 </ patch>
</ patches>
</ software>
<conflicts>
<component>
<id> SSC </ id>
<name> Some Shared Component </ name>
<version> 4.5 </ version>
</ component>
</ conflicts>
</ system>
</ systems>
</ prerequisites>

This example is for an application named "Network Node Manager" and is running under the Hewlett Packard Corporation HP-UX (R)} operating system and the Microsoft Corporation's WINDOWS 2000 (R)} operating system. Includes requirements or prerequisites for performing
Hardware requirements, software requirements, and conflict avoidance requirements are specified for each operating system.
Other tags can be used as needed.

In the traditional approach, each affected computer in the network must be manually checked to see if it meets the requirements of the new application software.
This consumes considerable time and resources each time a new application is implemented.
The automated process described above avoids the need for manual processes, thereby reducing the possibility of human error.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the program steps and associated data used to implement the foregoing embodiments are disk storage devices and, for example, read only memory (ROM) devices, random access memory (RAM) devices, optical storage elements, magnetic storage. It will be appreciated that other storage forms may be implemented using elements, magneto-optical storage elements, flash memory, core memory, and / or other equivalent storage technologies that do not depart from the invention.
Such alternative storage devices should be considered equivalent.

The present invention uses a programmed processor that executes the programming instructions outlined above in flowchart form that can be stored on any suitable electronic storage medium as shown in the embodiments herein. It is realized by doing.
However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the process described above can be implemented in any number of variations and many suitable programming languages that do not depart from the invention.
For example, the order of specific operations performed without departing from the invention can be frequently changed, additional operations can be added, and operations can be deleted.
Error trapping can be added and / or enhanced and the user interface and information representation can be changed without departing from the invention.
Such changes are intended and considered equivalent.

Although the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, substitutions and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description.
Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention. Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram representing a computer system consistent with certain embodiments of the invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram representing a networked computer system consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

306 ... Computer file,
308 ... Application program,
314... Computer system,
318, 320, 322, 324 ... programming instructions,

Claims (10)

A computer usable medium incorporating computer readable code for analyzing a computer system (314) for a set of requirements of an application program (308),
The computer readable code is:
A first set of programming instructions (318) for reading a computer file (306) containing the list of requirements for the application program (308);
A second set of programming instructions (320) that determine the performance of the computer system (314);
A third set of programming instructions (322) comparing the performance of the computer system (318) and the requirements of the application program (308);
A fourth set of programming instructions (324) for reporting the result of the comparison. The computer system (314) is a computer network having a control node (400) and one or more management nodes (402),
The second set of programming instructions (320) is:
A fifth set of programming instructions (404) revealing the performance of the one or more management nodes (402)
The computer-usable medium according to claim 1. The second set of programming instructions (320) is:
The computer-usable medium of claim 2, further comprising programming instructions for distributing the fifth set of programming instructions (404) from the control node to a management node (402). The second set of programming instructions (320) is:
The computer-usable medium according to claim 2, comprising programming instructions for requesting a report on performance from a management node (402). The computer file (306) is
The computer-usable medium of claim 1, comprising a set of attribute tags and a data value associated with the attribute tag. A method for communicating a set of requirements of an application program generated by a creator (302) of an application program (308) to potential users of the application program comprising:
The creator of the application program (302) generating a computer file (306) specifying the set of requirements of the application program (308);
Passing a copy (306 ') of the computer file (306) to the potential user;
The potential user reads the computer file (306) and executes a computer program (316) that analyzes the performance of the computer system (314) with respect to the set of requirements of the application program (308). Method. The creator (302) of the application program (308) that generates the computer file (306)
The method according to claim 6, wherein the creator (302) of the application program uses a software tool (304) that requests the creator (302) to input a requirement by attribute. The method of claim 6, wherein the potential user uses a software tool (316) to reveal the performance of the computer system (314) that runs the application program (308). The computer system (314) for running the application is a computer network including a control node (400) and one or more management nodes (402);
Revealing the performance of the computer system (314) comprises:
Executing a computer program on a management node (402) of the computer network to determine the performance of the management node;
The method of claim 8, wherein the management node (402) communicates the performance (406) of the management node to the control node (400). The method of claim 9, wherein the computer program (404) executed on the management node (402) is passed from the control node (400) to the management node (402).

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